This page aims to help you remove Gandcrab Ransomware for free. Our instructions also cover how any Gdcb file can be recovered.

In the event that your computer has been infected by a virus called Gandcrab, you may be at risk of losing some of your most important files. Gandcrab is what is referred to as ransomware and it specializes in the encryption of a large variety of commonly used files on its victims’ computers. These can be images, documents, audio and video files, system files and more. And the reason why viruses of this type are called ransomware is because they demand they be paid a certain amount in exchange for undoing the encryption or, in other words, they demand a ransom. Depending on the virus and the victims targeted, this ransom amount can range from anything as small as just a few bucks to several thousand dollars. We think it’s important that you know more about this virus before we provide you with the instructions on how to remove it. Therefore, we would advise you to read through the following article first. And after that you can make use of our specialized removal guide below.

Gandcrab Ransomware

Ransomware: its different types and methods of distribution

This may surprise you, but ransomware viruses come in different shapes and sizes. Gandcrab, in particular, belongs to the file-encrypting type, which we have already concluded above. However, there are more subtypes. For example, there are those known as scareware that only pretend to have done something harmful on your computer or try to convince you that you have violated some law or regulation and are now obligated to pay a fine. Other versions are meant to target your portable devices, such as your smartphones and tablets. However, in those cases, they usually just place a banner on your screen, which informs you of the payment details and prevents you from using the device until said payment is made. There’s also a similar version for desktop computers, which also only blocks your screen, preventing you from using any of your computer’s functions.

Gandcrab Ransomware Removal

Some of the steps will likely require you to exit the page. Bookmark it for later reference.

Type Regedit in the windows search field and press Enter. Once inside, press CTRL and F together and type the virus’s Name.

Search for the ransomware in your registries and delete the entries. Be extremely careful – you can damage your system if you delete entries not related to the ransomware.

Type each of the following in the Windows Search Field:

%AppData%

%LocalAppData%

%ProgramData%

%WinDir%

%Temp%

Delete everything in Temp. The rest just check out for anything recently added. Remember to leave us a comment if you run into any trouble!

How to Decrypt Gandcrab files

We have a comprehensive (and daily updated) guide on how to decrypt your files. Check it out here.

But the most terrible of them all is of course the type you are dealing with now, because it actually robs you of certain files by means of encrypting them. This is a sophisticated process that is not only incredibly difficult to undo, but also to a great extent ensures that ransomware viruses aren’t detected by your antivirus program. The thing is that encryption in itself is not something harmful or malicious and is, in fact, used to benefit people. We need encryption to help hide sensitive information from prying eyes on a day-to-day basis. Therefore antivirus programs are for the most part useless against malware like Gandcrab. Another thing that helps them avoid detection is their stealth and the fact that they hardly ever cause any symptoms. In some rare cases they may result in a severe slowdown of your system, but you would have to be very vigilant to still recognize this as a ransomware symptom.

Besides knowing how these viruses operate, though, and what makes them escape detection, it’s also no less important to know how they spread. If more people were aware of this, there would be far less infections occurring and a lot less ransomware victims in general. Perhaps this infection with Gandcrab could have also easily been prevented. One of the most common ransomware sources is malvertising. This is the process of injecting online ads with malicious scripts, so that clicking on them will result in the immediate download of the virus. Other sources of ransomware include spam emails. This is perhaps the oldest trick in the book, but it’s also one that, unfortunately, still works like a charm.

The key is to not interact with potential malicious transmitters and do your best to protect your system. As far this current infection goes, the below guide will show you how to locate and remove Gandcrab from your computer. This is paramount, as failing to remove the virus may result in further file encryption and permanent loss of any files you succeed to restore. The same guide will also provide you with the steps necessary to attempt the recovery of your encrypted files. We must warn you, however, that this may not necessarily work in each and every case. In case it doesn’t, you can also refer to our list of free decryptor tools.

SUMMARY:

Name

Gandcrab

Type

Ransomware

Danger Level

High (Ransomware is by far the worst threat you can encounter)

Symptoms

Very few and unnoticeable ones before the ransom notification comes up.

Distribution Method

From fake ads and fake system requests to spam emails and contagious web pages.

Data Recovery Tool

Currently Unavailable

Detection Tool

We generally recommend SpyHunter or a similar anti-malware program that is updated daily.